Ice tray



May 16, 1944. CARNEY I 2,348,956

ICE TRAY Filed Dec. 18, 1959' M, W ATTO NEYS.

Patented May 16, 1944 ICE TRAY Clifford R. Carney, Detroit, Mich,assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation ofDelaware Application December 18, 1939, Serial No. 309,742

Claims.

This invention relates to ice trays, and more particularly to an icetray having a removable grid which is provided with a plurality ofindependently movable sections which may be separately operated topermit the independent re moval of any desired number of ice cubes fromthe grid and ice tray.

Heretofore considerable difficulty has been experienced in effecting theremoval of an ice block partitioning structure or grid from the tray orpan, and also in effecting the removal of the individual ice blocks orcubes from the grid. I have found that these difiiculties can beovercome by providing a partitioning structure or grid having aplurality of generally transversely extending angularly disposed membersmovably mounted on a generally longitudinally extending grid member. Thelongitudinally extending member is preferably provided with verticallyspaced stop members to position the generally transversely extendinggrid members at an angle to the vertical prior to the freezing of theice cubes therein whereby a force may be applied to the transversemembers to move them towards the upright or vertical position therebyproducing a wedging or sliding force on the ice blocks or cubes to breakthe contact between the ice cubes and the grid and tray structure.

An object of this invention is therefore to provide an ice tray gridstructure having a plurality of generally transversely extendingangularly movable grid members mounted on a generally longitudinallyextending grid member.

A further object of the invention is to provide an ice tray gridstructure having a generally longitudinally extending member providedwith vertically spaced stop members adapted to support a plurality ofgenerally transversely extending independently movable grid members atan angle to the vertical.

A still further object is to provide a gravity actuated ice tray gridstructure wherein a plurality of generally transversely extendingmemhere are movable to one angularly related ice forming position by theforce of gravity, and may be manually moved to another angularly relatedposition to release the ice cubes from the grid and tray structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ice tray grid memberhaving a generally longitudinally extending member provided withlongitudinally spaced upper and lower stop members adapted to support aplurality of generally transversely extending grid members at an angleto the vertical under the influence of the force of gravity acting onthe transverse members when the grid structure is placed in a generallyhorizontal position.

A further object is to provide an ice tray grid which is so constructedas to permit the mechanical removal of the ice cubes from the grid by aseparate application of power to each transverse section of the grid.

Another object is to provide an ice tray grid which is so constructed asto permit selective manipulation of the transverse grid members tosecure the progressive release of either all or a portion of the icecubes contained therein without first partially melting said cubes tobreak the frozen engagement between the ice and the grid and traystructure.

A further object of the invention is to provide an ice tray grid fromwhich the separate ice' cubes may be removed selectively either asseparate cubes or in multiples of any desired numher.

A still further object of the invention is to'provide an ice tray gridfrom which the ice cubes may be released by a relative movement of theseparate elements of the grid, and in which a portion of the grid isused as a fulcrum for the application of power by a wrench or lever torelease the cubes from the grid and the tray.

Yet another object is to provide a grid structure having alongitudinally extending member and a plurality of transverselyextending members carried thereby, wherein means are provided betweenportions of the longitudinally and transversely extending members topermit the application of power to the transversely extend.

ing members to vary their angular relation relative to thelongitudinally extending member, and by such variation in angularrelation to release the ice cubes from the grid and tray.

, A further object is to provide manually operable means for exerting aforce on the transversely extending grid members to vary the angularrelation of said transverse members relative to a longitudinal memberforming a part of the grid structure to effect the release of ice cubesfrom the grid structure.

Yet a st ll further object is to provide a longitudinally extendingseparator member having a plurality of generally transversely extendingseparator members hingedly connected thereto whereby removable manuallyoperable means may be employed to engage each transverse member and thelongitudinal member closely adjacent the transverse member to actuate itan- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of an ice tray and grid embodyingthe present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a portion of the tray and grid structureshown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on theline 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; v

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially on the lined-fi of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of the various parts of the grid shownin separated relationship; and

Figure 6 is a view in perspective of a suitable l wrench or manuallyoperable means for use with the tray and grid illustrated in Figures 1to 5.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited in its application to the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and ofbeing practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to beunderstood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is forthe purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intendedto limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of theprior art.

Referring now to the drawing, represents an ice tray of any suitablesize and shape, and 3i represents the grid structure which isconstructed to provide a plurality of compartments in which a liquidbody is confined within the tray 3!) for freezing into cubes or anyother desired shape. The grid 3| preferably comprises a longitudinalpartition or separator member 32, and a plurality of transversepartitions or separator members 33.

Each transverse partition 33 is preferably provided with a centrallydisposed vertical slot 34 which extends from approximately the centralportion of the partition down almost but not quite to its lower edge,The longitudinal partition 32 is cut out at spaced points along itsupper edge to provide a series of wide slots or cut-out areas 35extending from the upper edge of the partition approximately to itsmid-point to provide slots which permit the transverse partitions to bemoved from their normal rearward tilting ice forming position in saidslots towards a position approaching the vertical to release the iceformed.

The longitudinal partition 32 is also provided with a plurality of lugs36, which extend upwardly beyond the upper edges of the transverse orcross partitions 33, and with longitudinally spaced lower slots orcut-out portions 31 in its lower edge and adapted to receive the stripsor lugs 38 adjacent the lower edge of each transverse partition 33. Thelugs 38 may be formed in several ways as by providing a slit in thetransverse partitions 33 immediately below one edge of the slot 34 toextend from the bottom of slot 34 to the bottom edge of the partition33. Thus a strip of metal is provided beneath slot 34, which 75 whenbent permits assembling the transverse partitions on the longitudinalpartition 32, and which after assembly may be bent back to retain thepartitions in their assembled relationship.

It will be noted that the upper ends of the transverse grid members 33are free to move longitudinally of the member 32 a distance equal to thelength of the slots 35, while the lower ends of these transverse gridmembers are permitted to move longitudinally of the grid member only acomparatively short distance defined by the length of the slots 31 inthe member 32. When the grid is positioned in the generally horizontalposition in which it is used in the ice tray 30, the transverse membersassume an inclined position as illustrated in Figure 3 under theinfluence of the force of gravity acting on them. The slots 35 and 31 inthe member 32 are spaced longitudinally in such a manner that thetransverse members 33 cannot be moved angularl to a vertical position.In other words, the transverse members are always disposed at an anglewhen the grid is in the substantiall horizontal position so that themembers 33 will be moved by gravity to the angularly inclined iceforming position when there is no ice formed in the tray.

The longitudinal partition 32 is provided at the front or operating endof the grid with an upwardly extending projection 39 having an outwardlyextending nose 46 formed thereon, the forward and lower edges of whichconstitute a fulcrum to receive a suitable implement such for example asthe rounded end portion 69 of a lever 52 illustrated in Figure 6. Ifdesired, the tray 30 may be held on any suitable supporting surface andthe projection 39 and the outwardly extending nose 33 may be graspedmanually to lift the grid structure 35 from the tray 30.

It will be observed that the rounded end portion 63 of the lever 62 isbifurcated whereby the longitudinally extending grid member 32 may bereceived in a slot 64 and force applied to the upper ends of thetransverse grid members 33 by means of projections 63 carried b thespaced prongs es which straddle the longitudinal member 32 asillustrated in Figure 3. Movement of the lever 62 in the clockwisedirection as illustrated in Figure 3 imparts a force on the transversegrid members 33 to move their upper ends in the counterclockwisedirection in the slot 35 the bottom edge of the transverse members beingheld against longitudinal movement in the lower slots 37 formed in thelongitudinal grid member 32. A camming or sliding force is thusimparted,

to the ice'blocks or cubes by the variation in the angular relation ofthe transverse members which breaks the contact between the ice cubesand the grid and tray.

Attention is called to the fact that it is possible to remove anydesired number of ice blocks in multiples of two, either at one time orat dif- Ierent times during the use of the tray. The removal of thecubes is greatl facilitated by the progressive movement of thetransverse partitions of the grid, since the power applied need merelybe directed to a single pair of cubes at a time with the result thatless resistance is offered to the removal of the cubes. The grid andlever described herein are also of such construction that the forcesapplied for releasing the cubes are directed against the varioustransverse partitions and the portion of its longitudinal wall 32'gdiacent the transverse member beingactua e 7 To further facilitate theloosening of the grid and the removal of the ice cubes, particularly thefirst pair removed, the tray 30 may be provided with a sloping forwardwall 8i, although it should be understood that the effective operationof the grid is not dependent on a tray of this nature and trays ofordinary shape or construction may readily be used.

This is a continuation-in-part of each of my co-pending applicationsSerial No. 238,610 and Serial No. 237,834.

Using the grid construction shown, it will be apparent that theoperation of the grid for removing frozen cubes or other shaped frozenobjects therefrom requires the freeing of only the desired number ofsuch cubes or objects from the grid and the tray. During this operation,the grid and its contents are securely frozen to he tray except forthose particular portions where the transverse members have been movedfor the express purpose of freeing the adjacent cubes or objectstherefrom. This makes it possible for the housewife or other user tooperate the grid readily with one hand while holdin the tray and thegrid with the remaining frozen cubes or. other objects with the otherhand. This is a desirable feature of the present grid construction foras it will be seen, there is no necessity for freeing the grid and itscontents at one time from the tray and thereafter requiring a separatemanipulation effort of the user to free the grid from the freed frozenblock.

It is also to be understood that whil the embodiment of the inventionhere disclosed by way of example employs only a single longitudinallyextending member, it is within the scope of the present invention to useany desired number of such members to divide the ice tray or othercontainer into any desired number and shapes of separate compartments.

I claim:

1. A grid for an ice tray comprising a unitary separator member havinglongitudinally spaced upper and lower apertured portions whose edgesdefine stop members, the edges of the upper portions being spacedrelatively widely apart and the edges of the lower apertured portionsbeing spaced relativel closely together, a plurality of spacedupstanding project-ions adjacent one edge of each of said upperapertured portions and a plurality of independently operabletransversely extending members having vertically slotted portionsadapted to receive the portions of the separator member between theupper and lower apertured portions and adapted to be moved angularly onthe separator member independently between limits defined by the upperstop members.

2. A grid for an ice tray comprising a unitary relatively thin separatormember having longitudinally spaced upper and lower apertured portionswhose edges define stop members, the edges of the upper portions beingspaced relatively widely apart and the edges of the lower aperturedportions being spaced relatively closely together, a plurality of spacedupstanding projections adjacent one edge of each of said upper aperturedportions, a plurality of independentis operable transversely extendingmembers having vertically slotted portions adapted to receive theportions of the separator member between the upper and lower aperturedportions, and detached manually operable means adapted to engage saidprojections and transverse members to move said members angularly on theseparator member independently between limits defined by the upper stopmembers.

3. An ice tray grid comprising a unitary longitudinally extendingseparator member having upper and lower cut-out portions defining stopmembers, a plurality of spaced upstanding lugs formed adjacent each ofthe upper cut-out portions, a plurality of separately operabletransversely extending separator members mounted on said longitudinalmember and having portions extending into said upper and lower cut-outportions to restrain movement of the transverse members, the uppercut-out portions of the longitudinal member being extended in length andhaving spaced edge portions to limit longitudinal movement of the upperportion of the transverse members, and the lower cut-out portions beingrelatively short to restrain longitudinal movement of the transversemembers and being longitudinally spaced with respect to the uppercut-out portions whereby each of the transverse members is free to movebetween angular positions to form parallelogram shaped ice clocks and torelease the ice blocks from the grid and tray, and manually operabledetached means having a bifurcated end portion to straddle said lugs toengage the longitudinal member and one of the transverse members toactuate the transverse member to release ice.

4. An ice tray grid comprising a longitudinally extending partitionhaving a series of notches therein spaced along its length, a series ofcross partitions extending across said first partition and looselyarranged in said notches in such manner that each cross partition may bemove relative to said first Partition to facilitate the loosening ofbonded ice from the grid, said first partition having an upstandingprojection located closely adjacent the upper margin of each of saidcross partitions, and a detached prying tool manually actuatable atseparate operations thereof to selectively pry against and move anindividual cross partition relative to said first partition, said pryingtool having a portion adapted to partially embrace and fulcrum directlyupon that projection closely adjacent the particular cross partitionselected for movement at any one operation of said tool.

5. An ice tray grid comprising a relatively stationary partition havinga series of upstanding projections spaced along its length, a pluralityof individually movable cross partitions each intersecting saidstationary partition closely adjacent one of said projections thereon,each cross partition being angularly movable relative to said stationarypartition, and a detached prying tool manually actuatable at successiveoperations thereof to selectively engage and angularly move anindividual cross partition relative to said stationary partition, saidprying tool having a bifurcated end portion adapted to straddle andfulcrum directly upon the projection closely adjacent the individualcross partition being selectively engaged by said tool.

CLIFFORD R. CARNEY.

